Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to or involving bigamy: Describes a person who is married to two people at the same time, or a marriage that is illegal because one of the partners is already legally married to someone else.
   • Characterized by bigamy: Pertaining to the state or condition of having two spouses simultaneously.

Usage and Examples

• As an adjective describing a person:

  • He was found to be bigamous after his first wife discovered he had remarried.
  • The court declared the second marriage invalid because it was bigamous.

• As an adjective describing a marriage or union:

  • Entering into a bigamous relationship is a criminal offense in many countries.
  • The ceremony was not recognized by law as it was a bigamous wedding.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Legal and Social Context: The term is primarily used in legal, formal, or descriptive contexts to denote an illegal marital status. It carries a strong negative connotation of deception and law-breaking.
• "Bigamous marriage": A common collocation emphasizing the illegal nature of the union.
  • The authorities annulled the bigamous marriage.

Variants and Related Words

• Bigamy (n): The act of marrying one person while still legally married to another.
  • He was charged with bigamy.
• Bigamist (n): A person who commits bigamy.
  • The bigamist was sentenced to two years in prison.

Synonyms

• Polygamous: Having more than one spouse at a time. (Note: "Polygamous" is a broader term that can be legal in some cultures, whereas "bigamous" specifically implies illegality within a monogamous legal framework.)
• Double-married: (Informal) Married to two people.

Antonyms

• Monogamous: Having only one spouse at a time.
• Unmarried: Not married.

Related Phrases and Collocations

• To lead a bigamous life: To live while being married to two people.
  • For years, he led a bigamous life, maintaining two separate families.
• Bigamous union: Another term for an illegal marriage involving a person who is already married.
  • The documentary explored the consequences of a bigamous union.

Adjective

1. of illegal marriage to a second person while legally married to a first